Forever Ours
by NineAnd3Quarters
Summary: This is a series of one-shots about Christian and Ana's lives as parents to their five children under six years old. This is an extension to my 'Mine' Trilogy, but I've written it to be able to be read without reading my series if you're looking for a something to read with Christian and Ana as parents.
1. September 2018

**IMPORTANT! READ FIRST:**

 **This is an extension to my 'Mine' Trilogy. There isn't going to be any plot nor will there be steady updates. This will be where I post small moments from their lives as parents as they come to mind. Each chapter will be a different moment from the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Grey and their five children. I figured it'd be less messy to lump them all within one story instead of posting a bunch of one shots. I will not be doing a Pinterest page nor will I be doing teasers for this series of one shots since there is no promise of me updating regularly.**

 **I'm trying to write these one shots to where even if you didn't read the trilogy, you'll be able to read it and follow along. I've included some background as I go to refresh the memories of the ones who've read it and to update the ones who haven't read it.**

 **If there is a moment in the lives of C and A with their kids that you'd like to see, drop me a review or a PM and I'll try to do a chapter on it. I might even dedicate that chapter to you. ;)**

 **Thank you!**

 **Stephie**

 _ **September 2018**_

 _Christian_

Life has been busier than ever. Anastasia and I now have five children under six, our youngest, Abigail, being born just nine months ago. I never imagined my life to be so chaotic, or as my wife would call it _organized chaos_. Before Anastasia, I was always a control freak. Well, now, I don't think control is even part of my vocabulary anymore. I guess we do have some semblance of organization in our life...thanks to Anastasia. She keeps our household running better than anyone in the world could. Although she is constantly reminding the children that Daddy is the head of the household, she's the one that calls the shots. When it comes to organizing the children, I just do as I'm told.

 _Just like now._ Taylor and I are heading to the children's private school to pick up our oldest, Camden, and our twin girls, Carlie and Gracie. This is my job. I do it every day. On the days I work in the office, I go in after I drop them off for school, and I leave in time to pick them up from school. On the days I'm home, I do the same, although I get to do it in my running gear and Nike's instead of my suit and Armani shoes. At least when I wear my running gear, I can hide within the mass of school moms with my hood up. In my suits, I stick out like a sore thumb and all the under-sexed, overly-tired mothers ogle me like I'm some sort of pool boy. _It's disgusting._ I do my best to ignore it and savor each moment I have with my children. _This is our bonding time._ I get to be the last to kiss them goodbye and wish them a good day and the first who gets to listen to what they did at school that day. Being able to be so hands-on with my children is such a gratifying experience.

When Camden first started preschool, I had a really hard time letting go. I wanted to go and spend the half-day with him each day, but it was against school regulations. After donating a generous amount to the private school, the school board had agreed to allow his CPO to remain in the building during school hours, as long as he was wearing a faculty uniform so that he could blend in with the others. By the time the girls were in preschool, the CPO's have learned to hide so well that even my children don't recognize them.

Now, the girls are in kindergarten at Lexington Academy, while Camden is in first grade. I had thought dropping Camden off at his first day of preschool would be the hardest out of all of them, but the day Anastasia and I first dropped him at the first grade doors and the girls at the kindergarten ones was much harder. My little man isn't so little anymore and my girls are now in a school that houses everyone from kindergarten to fifth-grade. My daughter's were so ecstatic that they no longer had to go what they called _the baby school_ , but we weren't ready for it. Our children are growing so fast and next year, our youngest son, Reigner Carrick, RC for short, will be going to preschool. _Where has the time gone?_

We pull up into the line to pick up the children and I slide out of the passenger's seat just as the bell rings. I barely get my door closed behind me before I see Camden come bursting out of the front doors and straight for me. He's got a mega-watt smile on his face and instantly, I know he's got something exciting to share.

"Daddy! Daddy, guess what!" He hugs me with one arm and holds out a white envelope with the school's stamp on it.

"What's this, little man?" I take the envelope from him.

"Read it, Daddy!" He bounces on the balls of his feet and I laugh. Very rarely do I get to see Camden so animated. He's such a stoic little boy most of the time.

Breaking the seal, I pull it out, but Camden is too excited to wait for me to read it.

"In writing class, I wrote a story and it's so good that they're going to put it in _The_ _Lexington Letter_! The big kids read that!" _The Lexington Letter i_ s Lexington Academy's school paper. It prints once a week and gets sent home with every child from K-12. Although the paper also includes school functions, cafeteria menus, and announcements for the parents each week, I'd imagine that most parents of the higher level school children don't ever get to see the newspaper. _Thank fuck for the internet._

I skim through the letter quickly and my grin widens to match his. "That's awesome, dude! I'm so proud of you, Cam!" I squeeze him hard against me and he smiles up at me.

"Mommy's going to be so excited."

I nod. "Oh, you better believe it! Mommy is going to be beside herself."

"Daddy!" The voices of my girls cause me to look up and Camden lets go of me to climb into the SUV.

"Uncle Taylor! Guess what happened at school today!" I hear Camden's voice from inside the car as I watch the girls race towards me. It's a ritual my competitive twins started the very first day of school. I open my arms and brace myself against the side of the SUV as they come plowing into me.

"I won!"

"Nuh-uh! I did!"

"Only because you pushed me!"

"I did not!"

"Daddy!"

"Girls, girls. You both won. Don't fight." It's a warning, but it's a gentle one.

Looking up, I make eye contact with the three CPO's standing by the front doors and give them a curt nod, letting them know their duty is done for the day.

"Yes, Daddy." The girls say in tandem.

My attention turns back to my sweet girls. "Good girls. Now, how was school today?"

The girls jabber on about their school day while Camden beams from the third row of the SUV, basking in the light from his small win with his short story. Taylor joins in on their jabbering, urging them on, and it makes me laugh. I think Taylor enjoys picking the kids up just as much as I do. He doesn't get much time with Sophia now that she's a teenager. She's got her own friends, her own plans, and a mini diva attitude according to him. _I don't look forward to that phase._ I think he misses the times he had with her when she was little and it's heartwarming to see him love my children so dearly.

The rule in the car is never to take your seatbelt off until the car is in park, however, I find my eldest son come shuffling out from the back row before the car has even stopped.

"Camden Theodore. What is the rule?"

He stops in his tracks, remembering the rule. "Sorry, Daddy." He's embarrassed that he's forgotten himself. He's a sensitive soul like Ana and I know he's harder on himself than I am, so I try not to sound too angry.

"It's alright, Cam. I know you're excited to show Mommy. We just have to remember the number one rule." _Safety._

"Yes, sir."

My heart clenches every time he uses that taught our kids to use Sir and Ma'am as a form of respect, but with us they always use our preferred pronouns, Daddy and Mommy. Camden only uses Sir when he's being hard on himself.

The car shuts off and we hop out of the front to open the back doors for the kids. Camden is a gentleman and waits for Carlie to climb out before climbing out after her. The look on his face shows me that he is disappointed in himself for disappointing me, so I stop him.

"Hey, come here." I open my arms to him and he hugs himself to me, squeezing tight. "Really, buddy. Everything is fine. There's nothing wrong with being excited. Don't think another minute on it, alright?"

He nods against my abdomen. "Yes, Daddy."

"I love you."

"Love you, too, Dad."

I grin and hold up the white envelope. "I think there's something you need to show Mommy now, don't you?"

His eyes light back up when he sees the envelope and he takes it and hurries to the door with the rest of us trailing behind him.

Before I even step through the doorway, I hear my wife squealing and the first thing I see is her scooping up our six year old in her arms while she gives him loud, wet kisses all over his face. He giggles as he tries to push her face away and the mixture of their laughter makes my heart grow two more sizes.

"Mommy! Put me down!"

"Oh, fine." She places him down and welcomes the girls home with a hug. "How was your day, girls?"

The chattering starts up all over again, but Anastasia listens intently as they talk, putting an arm around each one as she turns and escorts them into the kitchen for their afternoon snack.

 _What am I? Chopped liver?_

"Nice to see you, too, honey. My day was great." I grumble to no one in particular. Suddenly, I feel something _or someone_ yanking on my shirt.

"Hi, Daddy. Glad you had a good day." RC is looking up at me with a smile on his face.

My pout turns into a grin. "Hey, buddy. I've missed you." I reach down and pick up my three year old, giving him a kiss. "Did you have fun with Mommy and Abbie today?"

"Yep. We played monster trucks."

"Were you good?" I carry him toward the kitchen, where the rest of my family is.

"Um...yes."

I laugh. "You sure?"

"Yes, Daddy."

"So, you didn't go to the naughty chair today?"

"Hmm...maybe?" He shrugs and his pale cheeks turn a pink.

"Uh, oh. What happened?"

He shrugs.

"Did you stop whatever you were doing after going to the naughty chair?"

"Yes, Daddy."

"Alright." I press another kiss to his cheek and place him in his seat at the table in the kitchen so he can have a snack with his siblings.

"Da, Da, Da, Da, Da." I find my baby girl sitting up in her jumper in the middle of the kitchen jumping with each syllable. She's chewing on her fist and I can see the drool around her mouth. My poor girl is teething and having a hard time with it. She's been fussy lately, but she's happy right now. She's smiling up at me and I hurry over to pick her up. _My baby girl._

Anastasia stands there with her hands on her hips, frowning. Abbie still refuses to say Mama and it's pissing Ana off. I find it hilarious.

"What? She loves me." I tell Ana, kissing Abbie's cheek. I reach into my pocket and pull out my handkerchief to dry Abbie's face.

Ana huffs and begins to peel and cut a banana to smash up for Abbie. "I'm with that girl all day! I watch her, I play with her, I clean her, I sacrifice my perky breasts to feed her, but do you think she could say my name? No! She's got to say yours."

I chuckle and Abbie looks up at me. "Your Mommy is in a mood, huh, baby girl?"

Abbie makes a few noises and then yells at the end, her eyebrows lifting dramatically as she does so.

"She agrees with me." I tell Ana.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Ana cock an eyebrow at me, so I pretend to not notice and busy myself with putting Abbie in her high chair.

"Daddy, can I have more milk?"

"Sure, doodlebug." I refill Carlie's milk and make my way over to Ana, wrapping my arms around her from behind.

"Are you alright, baby?" I press my lips to her neck.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just tired. RC didn't nap today and he's been a little wild, so I haven't had time to decompress."

"I'm sorry."

She giggles and places the spoon down to turn towards me. Wrapping her arms around me, she presses her lips to mine. "There's no reason to be sorry, baby. We chose this life and I love it. Sometimes, I just need a minute to take a deep breath and step back to realize just how blessed we really are. Just look at them, Christian." She looks over her shoulder and my eyes sweep over the table to all our children, who are eating and talking noisily about their day. "They're all ours." She turns back to me. "Thank you for giving me five beautiful children."

My lips pull up into a smile. "No, no. Thank you, Mrs. Grey." She's done most of the work. I'm the luckiest man in the world. I capture her lips with mine, but before I can deepen it, there's a bang and all hell breaks loose.

The baby begins to cry, startled by the clatter, and Gracie lets out a wail, too.

"Mommy! RC threw his apple slice at me!"

Before I can even comprehend what's going on, Anastasia is already pulling Abbie out of her seat to calm her while using a towel to sop up the spilled milk running across the table.

"Gracie called me a baby!"

"Well, you are!"

"Am not!"

"RC! Gracie! Enough." I make my way toward the table. "Gracie, we've been over this twice before. Tonight, you'll go to bed with no tablet time."

"Mommy!"

"You'll listen to your daddy, Gracie."

RC sticks his tongue out at Gracie.

"Dude. I'm right here."

He looks up at me and tucks his chin. "Sorry, Daddy."

"You'll go to bed with no tablet time for throwing the apple and a half an hour early for that tongue."

"Ohhh." He whines, crossing his arms, pouting. "But, I didn't get a warning."

"You've had enough warnings today. You want to be a big boy, you're going to be treated like a big boy. You haven't had a nap, so going to bed early seems to be a good option for you."

Anastasia is still bouncing Abbie on her hip while she begins to stack the kids plates to clear the table.

"Here, let me get this. You feed Abbie and let me clear the table."

"Thank you, babe. Alright, you three go upstairs and change out of your uniforms while Daddy and I clean up." She carries Abby to the fridge to retrieve some breast milk to mix with the smashed bananas while the three oldest run upstairs to change. RC remains plastered in his seat, pouting, tears rolling down his cheeks. It's taken awhile, but I've finally come to realize that RC uses those big, fat crocodile tears to get out of punishments. He knew it tugged at my heartstrings, but with Anastasia's help, I've learned to stay strong and follow through with his punishments. Although his tears still get to me, I know that this is for the best. If not reprimanded, he'll turn into a complete brat. I've already been through this with my sister and I've learned my lesson.

I busy myself with clearing the table, rinsing the dishes, and placing them in the dishwasher. _Yes, I do dishes._ And no, seven years ago, I never thought I'd be content with doing so. I always thought I'd have a live-in housekeeper to clean up after me, but things change. We still have Gail, of course. I'd never get rid of her. But, with so many family members and such a large house, she concentrates on the deep cleaning while Anastasia concentrates on cleaning up after the children and doing the cooking.

By the time Abbie is sat in her high chair with her bowl of banana, she's a happy baby again and the children come back down in their playwear.

"I think tonight we should celebrate Camden's good news! What do you think, Daddy?" Anastasia asks, feeding Abbie.

The kids cheer and I agree. "I think that's a great idea, Mommy. What did you have in mind?"

"I was thinking that we let Camden decide what we're going to have for dinner tonight. I'll make whatever you want, baby boy."

He taps his chin, thinking, and I pick RC up off his chair to have a seat with him on my lap. RC has received enough punishments and I'll see them through at bedtime, but for now, there's nothing wrong with a few cuddles to make him feel better. RC rests back against me and plays with my watch while we wait for Camden to answer.

"I want...pizza!"

"Pizza!" Anastasia asks, feigning surprise. "Don't you want Mommy to cook you something good like liver and broccoli or trout and beets?"

His nose wrinkles in disgust and his tongue sticks out. "Yuck, Mommy. I thought we were celebrating. That sounds like a punishment."

Anastasia laughs. "Oh, alright, then. We'll have a pizza party. Why don't you call Uncle Taylor and Aunt Gail on the intercom and ask them to join?"

"Oh, yes! Do you think Aunt Gail would make her chocolate pie for dessert?" My son has a love affair with Gail's desserts.

"I bet she would."

XxXxXx

RC is asleep, the girls have been put to bed, and Abbie is feeding under Anastasia's modesty smock while we put Camden to bed.

"Did you enjoy your party buddy?" Anastasia asks, pushing his hair off of his forehead.

He grins. "Yea. It was lots of fun."

"Your Mommy and I are so proud of you for doing your best, buddy. You're doing so well in school."

Camden's cheeks turn pink at my admission.

"Daddy, do you think I could have extra reading time tonight?" He gives me a sweet smile.

I laugh. "You're really milking this thing, huh?"

His eyebrows knit together, not understanding what that means.

I shake my head. "Don't worry about it, son. Yes, I think you could have extra reading time tonight. We'll set your light timer for an extra twenty minutes tonight, alright?"

He smiles. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, buddy." I lean down and kiss him and Anastasia follows my lead.

"We love you, Cam. Sleep well." Anastasia fusses with his covers a few more seconds while I stand and pull my phone out of my pocket. We have his bedside lamp on a timer and we can control it from our phones via bluetooth. I set it for fifty-five minutes, giving him an extra five minutes to get his book and get settled.

After turning off his light and shutting his door, Ana sighs. "I love this time of night. It's so peaceful." We hear the girls giggle quietly from their room. "Well, for the most part."

I chuckle and lean in to kiss her. "Hows our baby girl doing?"

She lifts the smock and I see that she's sleeping, her mother's nipple still in her mouth.

"Here, give her to me and I'll burp her and lay her down. You go enjoy a nice, hot shower."

She hums. "Oh, that sounds heavenly. You're the best." She raises up on her tiptoes and kisses me before handing Abbie over to me.

She grunts in her sleep and snuggles into my neck when I lay her against me. Anastasia reaches up and smooths the hair on the back of Abbie's head.

"I love watching you with our babies, Christian. You're so hands on. So many men aren't. I don't know how we got so lucky to have you. The kids really couldn't have gotten a better father."

I give her a smile. "Go have your shower, baby. I'll meet you in bed."

She yawns, covering it with her hand, and nods. By the yawn, I can tell that I'm probably not going to be sinking myself into her tonight.

I take my time in Abigail's room, burping her and then rocking her until she falls back to sleep, and then I take another ten minutes just rocking her and gazing at her while I let Anastasia shower. _She's our last baby._ I have to swallow back my tears. It's so bittersweet. It won't be long before we're sending Abbie off to school and our house is going to be quiet in the middle of the day. _I'm not sure if I'm ready for that, yet._ I'm not sure if Anastasia is, either. RC is going to preschool next year, leaving Anastasia home with only one child. When the girls went off to preschool, she was pregnant with Abbie and had a rowdy two year old to fill her time. I hope she does well with the change.

I place our baby girl in her crib and turn on her monitor, before heading to our room. When I get there, the bed is empty and I hear the water still running in the bathroom. I grab the tablet and pull up the app for the baby monitor before heading into the bathroom with it. I leave it on the counter and strip down so I can join my wife for a long overdue shower together.

When I open the shower door, I find my girl with her leg up on the foot pedestal while she shaves her leg.

"I'm way overdue for a wax." She explains when my eyebrows knit together.

I make my way over to her and kneel in front of her. With her leg propped up like this she's open beautifully for me and I can't help myself. I take the razor from her and place it on the shelf beside me. "I'll watch RC and Abbie tomorrow. You go to the spa and enjoy yourself for awhile."

"But-Oh!" She's cut off when my mouth comes in contact with her center and she moans. Her fingers slip through my hair, urging me on. "Mmm, Christian. I need you."

 _Fuck, yes._

I shoot up from the floor, making her giggle, and I turn the water off, before scooping her up and carrying her to the bed.

"Christian! We're all wet!"

I place her on her feet. "Fine. Don't move!"

As fast as I can, I grab a towel and dry us off.

"Now, where was I?" I grab her and throw her into the middle of the still made bed, pouncing on top of her. I kiss my way quickly down her body and nuzzle into her center. "Hmm...right about here…" It's been almost a week since Anastasia and I have been intimate, causing Ana to come at lightning speed. I'm almost shocked by how quickly it happens...but relieved. I need to be inside of her.

I climb on top of her and slip into her before her body even relaxes from her explosive orgasm, but she doesn't seem to mind. Both of her legs wrap around me and she clings to me with both arms as I thrust.

"Fuck...I've missed you, babydoll." My hand wanders up her body and my fingers wrap around her thin, pale throat lightly, holding her in place as I begin to piston into her harder.

Anastasia cries out and her hand clamps around my wrist, squeezing. Her silent way of asking me to tighten my grip on her throat. My fingers tighten around the sides of her throat, but I make sure to keep an easy grip on the front so that her airway is unaffected.

"Yes! Yes, Christian. Don't stop. Fuck. Please, don't stop." Her hips start bucking against mine and I slam into her with all the force I have, hoping to get her there before I burst.

"Watch. Your. Mouth." I growl into her ear with each thrust, making her cry out.

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry." She begins to flutter around my dick and she whimpers, feeling her orgasm rise within her.

"Who do you belong to?"

"You!" She breathes out, her fingernails beginning to sink into my shoulder blades. "Only you."

"That's my good girl. Come for me. Give it to me." I demand, squeezing her neck just a little tighter. Her body begins to twitch and I release her neck, the blood flow rushing back, making her whole body convulse uncontrollably, and I fall over the edge with her. _Fuck, I love this._

I'll never get bored watching her like this. Watching her fall apart below me as I control both her and my pleasure is the ultimate stroke to my ego and my heart. Even after all these years, she gives me all the power in the bedroom and it's probably something I'll always crave.

As she curls up naked in bed and I curl up beside her, I can't help, but feel that I might be the luckiest man alive.

"Goodnight, Christian. I love you."

I hum and nuzzle into her hair. "Love you, too, baby."

I wrap my arms around my wife...around the person I've completely built my life around. Without her, my life would have little meaning and I'd have no happiness. She's given me a soulmate, five incredible children, a reason to come home every day, and a reason to live life to the fullest. I owe everything to the petite brunette in my arms. I allow myself to drift off, knowing that I get to do this every night for the rest of my life. Some nights, it might just be us...other nights there might be anywhere from one to five children in between...but we'll drift off night after night in this bed together.

 _Talk about a lucky mother fucker._


	2. August 2015

_**August 2015**_

 _Anastasia_

I'm due any day now with our fourth child, second son, that we're naming Reigner Carrick. Camden is going to be turning three in October and the girls are now nineteen months old, so our home is a madhouse right now. Christian has been working from home since the beginning of August, worried I would go into labor while he was away. I can't imagine trying to wrangle my three toddlers while trying to labor. Thankfully, I have Gail to help.

I'm as big as a whale and it's hard to carry one child at a time, much less two, or God forbid, all three of them. Once upon a time, I had perfected carrying all three at once, but never again. Now that we'll have four, I'll never be able to hold all my babies at once. It's a sad reality, but seeing the house filled with tiny humans that Christian and I have created will compensate for the loss of holding all my babies at once.

Honestly, I'm nervous about having another child. How will I cope dealing with three mobile toddlers and one newborn that needs me constantly? Our house is large and we have baby gates galore, but I might have to convince Christian to put up a couple more. I'll need to be able to corral the children no matter the place in the house. Cooking dinner is already a struggle with three toddlers, but I suppose having a newborn wrapped to me and attached to my breast while I make dinner for my husband and children won't be much different.

Right now, though, I'm sitting in a lawn chair in the backyard with Gail while my three toddlers run around barefoot with their daddy and Uncle Taylor, playing with bubbles. All three of my babies are giggling and squealing and the sound is like music in the backyard. My husband is also barefoot and wearing dark-faded jeans with a white t-shirt and he looks good enough to eat. _It's so unfortunate._ My sex drive is there, but Dr. Greene gave me strict orders to abstain from sex until the baby is born. _Boo._ It's hard to stick to orders when I've got such a delicious looking husband. _At least I can still treat him._

My girls are still a little wobbly on their feet, but our oldest, Camden, is very careful about not knocking his sisters over. Even at his young age, he feels like an old soul. He worries about his sisters constantly and will help as much as he can if one of them is fussy or gets hurt. It's very sweet to watch the connection he has with them. He's a quiet and serious child. His playful side seems to come out when his daddy is around and that's a lovely sight to see.

Christian rough-houses with him which often gives me heart palpitations, but Camden loves it. They wrestle and Christian flips him upside down and holds him by his ankles or throws him into the air and Camden just eats it up. When Camden jumps on Christian's back, Christian suddenly becomes melodramatic and falls to the floor, moaning and groaning while Camden clings to him and announces that he is the king now. In a few years, our two boys will be able to team up and take on Christian properly. _That'll be fun to watch._

Reigner is a kicker, so I have no doubt he'll have the energy to take on his father. He's constantly moving and kicking me in the ribs and the bladder, which has made me wet myself on more than one occasion. Now that he's running out of room, his restlessness seems to be constant and it's hard for me to get any sleep with a tiny human kicking me from the inside out.

As I watch my children toddle around the backyard, trying to catch and pop the bubbles, I realize what's going to happen before it's even happened. In front of Gracie there is a watering hose and I see her tiny little toes getting stubbed on the green hose two feet before she gets there.

When her toes catch the hose, her eyes go wide and she falls forward, as if in slow motion. Her chubby little fingers instinctively move forward to try to stop herself, but it's too late and she gets a faceful of grass and dirt. Next, comes the wail. I try to get up, but my large stomach prevents me from doing so, quickly.

Gail puts a hand on my arm. "Christian's got it."

My eyes fall on Christian and our baby, who he has in his arms and is already carrying her over to me while picking grass off of her face.

"Ma-ma-ma-ma!" Gracie cries for me and sobs and my poor heart aches for her.

"I'm taking you to Momma, baby. We'll get you all cleaned up." Christian presses a kiss to her cheek and when they get close, she dives out of his arms and into mine as I reach up for her.

"I'll grab a warm washcloth." Christian jogs back inside.

Gracie sobs into my neck and I rub her back, trying to soothe my baby girl. "Sh, sh...it's alright, baby. It's okay. Momma will make it all better."

Christian returns with lightning speed, holding a warm washcloth in his hand. He looks half panicked.

"This is all my fault. I should have watched her better."

I take the washcloth out of his hand. "Don't blame yourself. Accidents happen." I turn Gracie to the side so I can see her face and her mouth is open as she cries, mud stuck in her upper two front teeth.

"Here, baby. Let momma clean you up. You got mud in your teefers." I start with her mouth and wrap the washcloth around my finger, gently wiping at her teeth. Her breath is still shuddering and she's whining a bit, but her screams and most of her sobs have stopped. Once I have her mouth clean, I show her the white washcloth, now spotted brown with mud. "Look at that mud, Gracie. Did you try to eat dirt? What a silly girl." She grins at my teasing.

Christian takes the washcloth from my hand. "If Momma holds you, can Daddy wash your face?"

Gracie turns her face and hides in my shoulder.

"Daddy wants to take care of his Gracie-girl. Will you let Daddy make you better?"

Slowly, her head turns and she looks up at Christian, her bottom lip stuck out in a pout. He kneels down, getting to her level and begins to clean her face. She stays still as he wipes at her face and Carlie, her twin, comes toddling over.

"Gace...ow." Carlie ducks her head and kisses Gracie's skinned knee. "Mwah!"

"Aw, Carlie's worried about you Gracie. She's kissing your owie. She loves you."

Gracie smiles at Carlie. "luh-loo."

I grin at my sweet girls.

"There, all better." Christian sits back on his heels and looks her over.

"Thank you, Daddy! Daddy made everything all better, didn't he?" I ask, kissing the top of her head.

Gracie gives him a toothy grin and reaches out for him. Christian's face immediately lights up and he takes her, hugging her to him. She gives him a big, wet kiss and lays her head on his shoulder, patting him like we do to them.

"You want to play?" Christian asks and she smiles and nods, so he stands with her, heading toward the grass.

Camden is standing in front of Gail, a small pout on his own lips.

"Camden, baby boy, what's wrong?" I hold my hands out for him and he comes to me so I can pull him into my lap.

"Gracie is okay?"

"Yes, Gracie is okay."

"What happened?"

"She fell over the hose."

"DADDY!" He yells, surprising me.

"What?" Christian calls, grinning.

"MOVE THAT HOSE! IT MAKES OWIES!"

Christian laughs. "Yes, sir!" He salutes and marches over to the hose to pick it up.

Camden turns towards me and smiles. "No more owies."

I giggle and kiss his cheek. "Thank you, Cam. You're good at giving orders."

He looks so proud of himself as he hops off my lap and hurries over to Christian to 'help' move the hose.

I relax back in my chair with a sigh. _I really do have the best husband and children._

Little Reigner kicks and I rest my palm over the spot, smiling. _I didn't forget about you, baby. I'm sure you'll be as beautiful and brilliant as the others._

I'm the luckiest woman on the planet.

XxXxXx

"So, how'd it go?" I'm in the middle of making dinner when Christian shows up in the kitchen. By the look on his face, it looks like it didn't go well.

"Nothing. Forty-five minutes on the pot and nothing."

We're trying to potty train Camden before Reigner comes, so that we don't have four children in diapers. Like every child, he has his good days and his bad days. Today, he's being stubborn. Potty time is a sensitive time for Camden. If he can hear himself going in the potty, he becomes embarrassed and starts to cry. To compensate for the sound of his urine hitting the bowl, we have to turn the water in the sink on a little bit and sing the whole time he sits there. _The. Whole. Time._ But, not any song will do. It has to be the _same_ song. 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star' just happens to be his song of choice. _I've come to loathe that song._

While Gail is entertaining our children in the living room, Christian and I continue to make dinner for all of us.

"...So, when Barney-" Christian is in the middle of telling me about a break in the solared powered phone system he's been working on, but I hear something that sounds like singing in the background.

"Did you hear that?"

Christian's eyebrows knit together. "What?"

" _Twinkle, Twinkle little star…"_ The voice of our oldest comes from the opposite room and our eyes go wide before we both book it into the other room.

"GET CAMDEN! I'LL GET THE POTTY!" I hurry as fast as I can, waddling to the hall bathroom to pull the extra toddler potty out from the closet.

Christian comes running with Camden. "Wait, buddy, wait. Almost there, almost there, almost there!" He's chanting as I place the potty on the ground and turn the water on a pinch so the sound splatters against the bottom of the sink. Christian places him on his feet and yanks his bottoms down, placing him on his little potty.

Camden giggles. "You're fast, Daddy."

Christian laughs and kneels down in front of him, looking in his pull-up. It's clean and dry. "You're such a good boy for holding it."

Camden's eyes widen. "I gotta go!"

"Twinkle, twinkle little star! How I wonder what you are!" Christian and I both begin to sing, hoping he goes. We hear him begin to go and I hurry to turn the water to full blast and Christian begins to sing louder so Camden doesn't get embarrassed.

When his shoulders sag and he sighs, I turn the water off.

"You done?"

He shakes his head and then begins to grunt.

My eyebrows shoot up and Christian looks over his shoulder at me, a giant smile on his face. Camden has never poo'd in the potty before. This is a first.

"Sing, Daddy!"

Christian starts singing again and I have a seat on the regular toilet seat while my boys do their thing.

"Daddy! Stop singing. I'm done." _Thank goodness._ I feel like I've been sitting here forever. Camden hops up to try to pull his pants up and I laugh, seeing his backside.

"Uh, Daddy… I think someone needs to wipe his butt."

Christian grabs the butt wipes from the cabinet and Camden turns away from Christian, showing him his behind.

"Is it dirty, Daddy?"

Christian gets a good look at his butt and laughs. "Yes, little man. It's dirty."

Camden sticks his butt out. "Clean it, Daddy."

Christian gives him a playful scowl. "Well, someone's very bossy today." First the hose, now this.

Camden shrugs. "I big boy now. I the boss."

Christian kneels down to clean our son. "Big boy, huh?"

"Yep. I went in the big boy potty."

"You're right. You are now a big boy. Big boys always go in the potty, okay? If you have to go, you tell Mommy or me, understand?"

"Yes, Daddy. I will."

"Good boy. Alright, you're clean. Let's get your pants pulled up."

Once Camden is clothed again, Christian pushes over the step stool and my two boys wash their hands while I deposit the contents of the toddler toilet into the regular toilet.

"Do I get M-n-M-n-M's now?"

I laugh. "It's M-and-M's, baby."

"I'm a big boy… and that's what I said, Mommy. M-n-M-n-M's."

"Yes, you get M&M's. But after dinner."

He sighs and shakes his head, smacking his forehead with the palm of his hand dramatically. "Why I always wait?"

Christian laughs, but I cock an eyebrow at him. "I don't know why you think that's so funny. He got it from you. So melodramatic."

After I wash my hands, we make our way back out to finish dinner while Camden runs off to play with Aunt Gail and his sisters. As I watch him play, I can't help, but feel triumphant by our small victory tonight. He's like a little, old man trapped in a toddlers body. I can't wait to see how Camden's old soul flourishes as he ages, although the thought of him turning three in just two months time really tugs at my heartstrings.

My first baby is growing up so fast...soon, he won't even be in diapers. He made me a mommy and it was the first time I ever got to feel the love a woman has for her child. I'll never forget the way I felt when I got the first glimpse of him… My heart just seemed to burst out of my chest. When I first touched him, nose-to-nose while he was laying on Christian, it was the most intense experience of my life. I didn't know you could love anything so entirely. There is literally nothing he could do that could make me stop loving him.

I get that feeling with each of my babies and it's almost like a high I get each time I see one for the first time. With the girls, I was sobbing so hard that I could barely push Gracie out after seeing Carlie.

Christian was a complete basketcase when he saw his girls for the first time. He was moved when he first saw Camden, but there's just something about fathers with their daughters that seems to make it more emotional. My whole pregnancy he fretted about raising girls, worried they'd end up in a bad relationship or spoiled too much to thrive properly. It wasn't until about three months after they were born that he really realized that he had a handle on it. He realized that they were babies and that they'd learn and grow along with him...but I know there's a part of him that will never stop worrying about his girls. It's just part of being a father.

As we sit down to eat at our large table with two high chairs, a booster, and four chairs for the adults, I can't help, but feel my chest fill with pride. We've got incredible friends that have become family and three sweet babies who are a perfect mix between Christian and me.

Tonight, we're having spaghetti and my girls are covered from head-to-toe with sauce while Camden is wearing a spaghetti sauce mustache. They all have an appetite like their father and even through them shoveling noodles into their faces while being covered head-to-toe in sauce, they're still gorgeous.

 _My beautiful babies._

And they're all ours.


	3. January 2019

_**January 2019**_

 _Christian_

Today. Today my baby girl is turning one. A year ago today, Anastasia woke me from deep sleep, contracting. Baby Abbie almost made her entrance into the world in the backseat of an SUV instead of the OB ward. By the time Anastasia was wheeled into the hospital, she was crowning. I was a nervous wreck.

" _Ana! Ana, close your legs! She's going to fall out!" As we're being rushed down the hall to the OB department with one of the RN's, I do my best to keep my hand hovering above her legs, in case Abigail slips out._

" _Easier said than done, Grey!" She snaps at me, gripping the arms of the wheelchair as she cries out between her labor breathing. I suppose trying to keep your legs closed with something the size of a bowling ball pushing its way out isn't easy. "Oh, my God, hurry! Fuck. She's coming!"_

" _We're almost there, baby. Just try your best, sweetheart. We're so close!"_

 _Her hips slide down in the wheelchair a little bit and she presses her hand between her legs, over her nightgown. "Her head! I can feel her head!"_

 _"You WHAT?" My bark of surprise is partly muffled by the elevator door dinging as we slip inside._

 _Fuck. We're going to have our fifth baby in an elevator._

By the time the elevator door opened on the OB floor, the RN had delivered our Abbie, her feet making their exit out of her mother as the door gave another ding. My beautiful, strong wife held Abbie in her arms, umbilical cord still attached, placenta still undelivered, while the nurse wheeled her down the hall to our room. The other nurses sitting at the nurse's station just stared with wide eyes and open mouths, confused and surprised.

For having the baby delivered by an RN, we sure paid a whole hell of a lot to Dr. Greene. I was able to convince the House Supervisor to add a nice bonus to the RN's paycheck, though. She stayed professional and calm while Abbie made her way into this world. I, on the other hand, was shouting expletives and losing any sense of control I thought I had. I was so damn worried for my baby and wife, that I lost control.

To this day, I'm ashamed of myself for not being there for my wife and child when they needed it the most. If the RN wasn't with us, I don't know what would have happened.

I frown, remembering.

"Christian? What is it?" Anastasia is lying next to me, awake, but not ready to leave the warmth of the bed.

"I was just thinking about last year."

She grins. "You mean Abbie's birth? That was so chaotic." She giggles. "We were lucky she didn't come before we got to the hospital."

"Honestly, I'm surprised you made it to the elevator." I sigh. "If it wasn't for that nurse…"

She rolls towards me and cups my face. "Don't do that. Today is a celebration. I'm sick of you beating yourself up over it. The nurse delivered her quickly and Abbie came out perfect. No reason to have regrets when nothing went wrong." Leaning in, she presses a soft kiss to my lips. "I don't think of you any differently than I did before. You're still my strong, dominant husband. I still trust you with every fiber of my being. If the nurse wasn't there, I have no doubt that you would have stepped up."

"You think so?" _I'm not so sure._

"I know so. Your brain knew we were safe and it allowed itself to express your feelings properly. You needed the outlet so you could focus on us when we got to the room."

Maybe she's right. As much as I'd hate to admit it, I _am_ only human. I just need to live and learn. _I can't believe it's been a year._

 _My baby girl is one!_

My heart aches at the thought. Life is flying by so fast. This past month I have been dwelling on her birthday and half dreading this day. It's so bittersweet. I can't wrap my head around the fact that this is it. We'll have no more babies. Anastasia and I have agreed that we'll adopt older children, because they often get overlooked. Abbie really is the last baby we'll have in the house.

 _It doesn't feel right._

I know Anastasia and I have agreed that this chapter in our life is closed, but now, I'm beginning to wonder if it needs to be reopened. _What would Anastasia think?_

XxXxXx

The decorating is in full bloom, family members scattered around the house doing their assigned tasks, when the birthday girl finally awakes.

As soon as I hear her jabbering on the monitor, I desert my post setting up chairs and hurry to the second floor to reach her.

I open the door to her room slowly and hear her gasp, excited to see someone's coming. I slip my head in and give her a grin, seeing her standing in her crib, her chunky little fingers holding onto the bars.

"Dadda! Dadda! Dadda!" Releasing the wooden bars, she claps and bounces a little, causing her to lose balance and fall on her butt. "Oof."

I chuckle at her and make my way in to grab her. "Is my baby girl ready to get up?"

She nods and holds her hands up to me. "Up, up! Up, Da!"

As I pick her up, I give her a kiss on her warm, round cheek. "It's your birthday today, Abbie-girl! You are one year old! One! See my hand?" I show her one finger, hoping she'll follow.

She looks at her hand and then back to mine, examining the situation. After a few glances back and forth, she sticks her index finger up.

"Yes! That's my girl! One! You're one! You're getting so big!" I hug her to me and kiss her forehead a few times, a bittersweet pang resonating through my chest. I'm so proud of her, but I'm not ready for her to grow up.

"You stay my baby, K?" I ask her, heading to her changing table so I can change her diaper and get her into some clothes for the morning. I know that Anastasia will want to change her into her party dress later, but I don't want her stuck in pajamas until then.

"K." She answers me, like it's the simplest thing in the world.

"No matter how big you get, you'll always be my baby girl." Just like the others. They'll always be my babies. Now, I understand why my mother always said it. She still says it...like she has to remind us that we're her babies.

I smile.

Mom will never have to remind me that I'm her baby. I'm a momma's boy and will always be one.

After I get her changed, we head towards the stairs. "Let's get you some breakfast...and don't share it with the dogs this time, you hear me?" I tease her, blowing a raspberry on her cheek.

"Oof, oof!" She does her best to imitate a dog bark and it makes me laugh.

"No matter how much they 'oof, oof', you still don't share your food."

She gives me her shit eating grin and I know that she's going to do whatever the hell she wants to do, just because she can. I know she's just a baby, but I swear she does it just because she knows I don't want her to.

When we reach the kitchen, I see that Anastasia has already started getting her breakfast ready for her. She warms up a couple of rainbow pepper and feta mini quiches she made at the beginning of the week and cuts up a little bit of fruit, adding a dollop of yogurt to her tray because Abbie has already decided she likes to dunk her food.

"There's our birthday girl!" Anastasia holds out her hands and takes Abbie from me so she can greet her good morning.

"Mmm…" Abbie says, looking down at the tray on the counter.

Anastasia hands her a small bite of strawberry. "We'll get you in your highchair so you can eat, okay? The birthday girl slept late this morning! I can feel your tummy growling."

She fastens her in and lets her go to town on her breakfast, placing a sippy filled with coconut water (Abbie's favorite) in the cup holder.

As she eats, I watch my other children play with our two pitbulls, Asher and Ember, chasing each other and causing a mess with the pink and purple streamers. Camden is wrapped up like a mummy in streamers, chasing the others with his arms out while they squeal and try to get away from him. The dog's tails are wagging and they beg Camden to chase them, too, by getting down into puppy stance and wiggling their tails until he comes towards them. Our house is full of noise and chaos constantly, but I don't want it any other way. I can't imagine my life without any of them now. Life was so empty before the girl with the big blue eyes and porcelain skin popped back into it. I have all of this because of her. I wouldn't have any of these blue and gray eyed babies without her.

"Let's have one more."

Anastasia's head whips around so quickly that I think she might have broken her neck. "What?"

"Let's have another baby. One more. I'm not ready to be done."

"Are you crazy? Do you hear the noise level in the house right now?" She's looking at me like I've two heads. "We already agreed that Abbie is our last pregnancy."

"Just think about it. I don't need an answer right now."

"But, I'm supposed to start my birth control after my next period."

Anastasia has not been on any birth control since Camden was made. We've always used the pull-out method between planning our children and it worked rather well, but since Abbie has been born, we've been using condoms. I HATE condoms and have been giving her a hard time for the last year over it. Now that Abbie is off breast milk, Anastasia feels safe enough to go back on the pill.

"Just think about it and sleep on it if you need to, then make a decision. I'll let you decide if our family is finished with the baby phase...if you're ready to really give up the pregnancy phase."

XxXxXx

"...Happy birthday to you!" Everyone finishes singing to Abbie in her high chair and the other kids help her blow out her candle. As everyone claps, I see Anastasia wipe a tear from her eye.

Aunt Kate pulls out the one candle in her cake so that Abbie can eat it. "Go on, baby. Eat your cake!"

Abigail stares at Kate, so Kate dips her finger in the cake and has her taste it.

"Mmm!"

"See, it's good!"

Still, Abbie stares at it while we all wait with our cameras in hand.

"Here, I'll show her!" RC takes her hand and shoves it in the cake, effectively making a mess. It makes Abbie angry that he got her dirty and she yells at him, shaking her dirty hand.

"Look, Abbie. Yummy!" RC puts his cake covered hand in his mouth, causing Abbie to stop yelling and her face to return to its normal shade. She watches him for a moment and then does the same with her hand. After she gets a taste of it, she digs into her cake with both hands, making all of us laugh.

She gets cake and icing all over her sweet little face, her beautiful copper curls, and down the front of her onesie. After Camden's first birthday, we learned to disrobe our children before they dug into their birthday cake. It's a messy business.

After the cake has been removed and Abbie continues to suck on her fingers, Anastasia tries to clean her hair with a warm washrag. Abbie is not having it. Her free hand comes up to swat the rag away and Anastasia grabs her wrist quickly.

"Thank you, Abbie!" Anastasia is quick to clean Abbie's hand, making her angry. "Oh, you stop that. You're all dirty. Momma needs to clean you."

She gives another yell at her mother, but Anastasia shakes her head. "No, ma'am! That's not how we act. You let Momma clean you."

Resigned to the fact that her fate is sealed, Abigail gives a long sigh and slumps in her highchair, pouting. _So dramatic._

My wife catches my eye and she's smiling at me, shaking her head. "She must take after you."

I snort. "I do not pout!"

"HA!" The voice of my mother interrupts, but she tries to cover her laugh with a cough.

 _Thanks, Mom._

Giggling, Ana takes Abbie out of the highchair. "Your Daddy's a drama queen isn't he, baby girl?"

"Da-Da-Da-Da!" She points to me while Anastasia takes her into the kitchen to finish cleaning her.

XxXxXx

The presents are unwrapped, the food is gone, and so is everyone's energy. Our family begins to slowly leave the house, wishing Abbie one last happy birthday, and soon we're left alone with our five children, all of them on a sugar-high.

Our four older children are still playing, giggling, and squealing in the living room with our dogs and Abbie's new presents, while Abbie is conked out on my shoulder, drooling. She's slipped into a sugar coma, it seems. She has learned to tune out the excessive noise and I'm grateful for it... although, she really hasn't had any other choice. My wife is still busy in the kitchen, cleaning up from earlier and I don't know where all her energy comes from. If my head hit the pillow right now, I'd be out for hours. She, on the other hand, is scrubbing our already clean countertops and sweeping our already glistening floor.

"Ana… the kitchen isn't going to get any cleaner."

Her back is to me, but I can hear her sigh and her shoulders drop a little. "I know, but I think better while I clean."

"What's on your mind, baby?"

She turns on her heel and gives me one of her looks. _Am I in trouble?_

"What do you think is on my mind?" Her voice is an octave higher than normal and it makes me wince. _I am in trouble._

"The baby?"

"Yes, the baby!" Her palms smack her thighs, frustration setting in. "I was perfectly happy with the decision we made about not birthing any other children! I came to grips with it… hell, I even started to feel content with our decision. It felt like the right choice for us."

I nod, although my heart aches a little. "Okay, babydoll. We'll be done, then. It was wrong of me to bring it up. It was a mistake."

She shakes her head and tears begin to form in her eyes.

"Ana?"

She gives a sardonic laugh. "You can't take it back now, Christian! You've put the damn idea in my head! The thought of another baby… of having another life growing inside of me… of carrying your baby again…" her hand rests on her stomach as she talks about it and my dick stirs at the thought.

"So, you want another?"

Anastasia looks down at the ground and shakes her head, her tears that have welled up finally falling. "I don't know what I want. I just need more time to think, Christian." She sniffles. "This is such a hard decision. It's life changing."

I frown, my stomach twisting in guilt. I should have never brought it up on such a chaotic day. "I know it is, angel." I open my free arm to her. "Come here." She steps into my arm and I hold her tightly to me while her head nuzzles into my chest. "You take all the time you need to think it over. There's no rush and there's no pressure. Whatever you decide."

I rock the three of us from side-to-side while we listen to our older children play.

"You've been holding Abbie for a long time, do you want me to take her? I can put her down for bed."

I shake my head. "No, I'm not ready to let go, yet."

Anastasia giggles up at me. "You'll never be ready to let go."

 _That's probably true._

XxXxXx

"Are you girls ready for bed?" Anastasia and I enter the twins' room at bedtime, and I'm relieved to see that both girls have managed to get into their pajamas without a fight.

"Yes, Mommy. Will you read to us?" Carlie smiles up at us and it warms my heart. Even though the girls are no longer toddlers, they still enjoy the occasional bedtime book and snuggle.

"I suppose. Go pick a book." Anastasia answers as she straightens Gracie's bed so we can all curl up on it.

"I want Daddy to read to us tonight. He makes funnier voices." Gracie states, giggling. I grin. _Yep, I'm the best._

Anastasia sticks her tongue out at me playfully.

The girls grab a Frog and Toad book and we snuggle up in Gracie's bed with the girls in our laps. I'm in the middle of the book when Carlie interrupts my reading.

"Mommy?"

Anastasia looks down at Carlie, who is in her lap. "Yes, sweet girl."

"Are you going to have another baby?"

Anastasia glances at me. "Why do you ask?"

"Camden said that you might."

"Oh, he did, did he?" I ask her, sighing. _I should have known._ That boy has ears of a spaniel.

Carlie nods. "Mmhmm."

"We're thinking about it." Anastasia answers, surprising me. "How would you girls feel if we had another?"

Gracie gives a big grin. "I think it'd be fun. But, can you make sure we got another sister?"

I laugh. "Gracie, baby, you don't get to pick if it's a brother or sister."

She gives a pout. "Well, why not?"

"Because it's up to what God wants to bless us with."

"I'll pray for a sister, then." Gracie states matter-of-factly, giving a nod. "God loves me. He'll listen."

Her response makes me laugh. "Is that so?" I tickle her a little. "Well, Mommy and Daddy don't know if they're going to even have a baby, yet."

"Why not?" Carlie looks up at me with her beautiful blue eyes.

"You remember us talking about adoption, right? Don't you want Mommy and me to give a home to some children that don't have one?"

"But you bring home enough bread for all of us and Mommy is a good cook...why can't we have both?" Carlie's comment makes me laugh. Anastasia has always told the kids that I bring home the bread and she fixes it and it seems that the comment has really stuck with my girls.

Giggling, Anastasia squeezes Carlie to her. "I suppose you're right, baby girl. Daddy and I will see what happens."

After we get the girls in bed, check that our two youngest are asleep, and find Camden in bed with a book, we head to bed ourselves.

"I'll never understand why we need so many pillows on our bed." I complain, beginning to pull off what feels like fifty of them.

Anastasia narrows her eyes at me and throws one of them at me. "They're pretty and they're soft. I don't have to answer to you!" She throws another and I catch it in mid-air and cock my eyebrow at her.

"You don't?"

She bites her bottom lip and gives a nervous giggle. "Nope."

I launch myself across the bed toward her, making her squeal as I grab her and pull her into the bed with me, the other half of the pillows forgotten.

"I think you've forgotten who's the dominant, Anastasia." I growl into her ear, rolling her under me.

Her giggle becomes a whimper and her hips shift under me.

"Who do you belong to?"

She chews on her lip. "You, sir."

"And what are you?"

"Your good girl."

"That's right, babydoll. Do I need to remind you? Hmm? Should I take what's mine?"

She's panting and I'm hard as a rock.

"Are you wet, Anastasia?"

She nods against the pillows.

"Are you going to be my good girl?" My hips roll, causing the tent in my pants to press hard against her pantie-clad center.

"Yes, Master. I promise."

I growl at the name she uses. It's been so long since I've heard those two words fall from her mouth. _Yes, Master._ I swear with those two words she could get me to do anything she fucking wanted. She doesn't realize, but I'm at her mercy when she talks to me like that.

"I'm going to slip your panties down and play long and hard and if I hear one peep about a fucking condom I swear you won't come for a month, do you understand?" It's been too damn long since I've had skin-to-skin with her. If this gets her fucking pregnant, then so be it.

Her mouth opens in surprise, but she quickly closes it with a click of her teeth and nods. "I understand, Master. I'll be good."

Reaching down, I tear through the thin lace between her legs quickly and easily and sit back on my knees to take her in. "Dress off and open up. I want to see what's mine."

XxXxXx

When I wake the next morning, I'm greeted by two smelly little feet sitting on my chest. I'm not surprised, considering I consistently wake up not knowing who or how many little ones are going to be in the bed by morning. I rub the sleep out of my eyes and when they refocus, I see Anastasia propped up on her pillows with RC's head on her chest while she plays with his hair. He's sleeping soundly, but Anastasia looks to have been up for awhile, a frown tugging at the corners of her pretty mouth.

"Good morning." My voice is raspy like it is every morning, so I try to clear my throat.

"Morning." She mumbles, not taking her eyes off our youngest son.

"Couldn't sleep? I ask her, pushing myself up a little bit while moving our son's feet away from my chest.

She sighs. "No, not really. I've got a lot on my mind."

"Still thinking about another baby?" I ask, knowing. I hadn't meant for her to fret so much on this subject.

"A part of me wants another… but another part of me knows just how hard it's going to be. I remember how hard my last pregnancy was with trying to keep up with the other four. It was exhausting and my feet and legs were constantly swollen and I was so tired… I don't know if I can put myself through that again."

I frown. I never realized how hard it was on her. I knew her swelling was harsh with Abbie, but I had no idea that she was suffering trying to raise the others while carrying her.

"If you were having that hard of a time, why didn't you ask for help? Why didn't you tell me?"

Suddenly shy, her cheeks tinge pink and she chews her lip. "They're my babies. They're my responsibility and I wanted to take care of them."

"Jesus, Anastasia!"

My small outburst makes RC startle in his sleep and Anastasia hushes me.

I lower my voice, even though my anger hasn't lowered any. "I am your _husband._ I'm their father! It is my responsibility to take care of you and our children. If you needed a break, you should have said something!"

She shrugs and it pisses me off. "I swear to you...if we didn't have RC in this bed, I'd put you over my knee." It has been years since I've put her over my knee, but if she needs to be reminded, then I'll do it.

"I just wanted to take care of them myself."

"I will not allow stubbornness under our roof, Anastasia. We've made that clear to the children already, but it includes you, too."

"Christian, I don't want to fight. I just worry that six children so young might be more than I'm ready to handle. You can understand that, can't you?" Her gorgeous clear blue eyes are full or worry and it causes my boiling anger to slow to a simmer.

I sigh, relieving the frustration that has been sitting on my chest. "Yes, baby. I can understand that. I just wish you would have reached out to me for help...or asked Gail for a little more. You might be Super Mom, but you're still only human and everyone has a breaking point. Please reach out to me before you hit yours. We can't function in this household with a broken Mommy."

She gives me a small smile. "Yea, okay."

"You'll ask for help when you're feeling overwhelmed?"

She nods.

"Promise."

Giggling, she agrees. "Yes, Christian. I promise."

I hate that I managed to overlook her need for help. I know that I can't be at home all the time, but I'm starting to wonder just how much I miss by working so much. I can't stop now...there are too many people depending on me, but it makes my heart ache that my own family...my own wife for that matter… can't depend on me because I'm either gone to work or holed up in my home office working.

XxXxXx

It's been weeks since Abbie's birthday and Anastasia has not brought up the baby situation, nor have I. It was easy to see how stressed out even the idea of having another has made her, so I've made sure to keep my mouth shut about the situation and let her come to me if she decides. Evidently, she's already made her decision. She should be starting her period any day now, if she hasn't already, and I just need time to let it sink in. _No more babies for us._

"Dad?"

I look up from my laptop to see Camden standing at the doorway to my home office.

"What's up, little man?" I hadn't realized how long I've been lost in my own thoughts.

"Mom says it's dinnertime."

I give him a grin. "Well, whatever Mom says, goes. We better get to the table then. I don't want to get in trouble."

Standing, I stretch and begin to make my way through the house with my oldest son.

"We might have to buy a bigger naughty chair for you." He cheeks, giggling behind his hand.

"Oh! Are you saying your father is just a big butt?" I tease, messing up his hair.

"I didn't say that!"

"Maybe we can just take the girls' chairs and put them together and I'll use a seat for each cheek."

Camden gives a belly laugh. "We might have to get RC's, too."

"Thanks, Dude! I think you've got more cheek than I do!" I push him playfully and he puts an arm around my waist, pulling himself against me. I rest my arm around his shoulders and hug him close.

"Mommy says I'm a lot like you."

"Like father like son, then I guess." Looking down, I give him a wink and release him so he can sit in his chair at the dining room table.

Anastasia is placing the food on the table and I press a kiss to her cheek before having a seat. As I lower myself into my chair, I see a small box with a red bow resting in my plate.

My eyebrows knit together. "What's this?"

I look up at my wife and she's giving me a small smile. "Consider it your Valentine's Day present."

"Valentine's Day isn't for a few more days, Ana."

She shrugs. "What can I say, you've been a good boy." Giving me a wink, she turns back towards the children so she can plate their dinner.

 _I guess she couldn't wait._

I pull on the bow, letting it unravel and then open the box.

"Wha...what? Is this? What!"

Nestled inside, is an ultrasound picture and a tiny pair of booties.

Anastasia laughs at my response to the present.

"What is it, Daddy?" RC is curious and the others are trying to crane their necks to see what is in my box.

"Mommy is having another baby?" I answer, but it comes out as a question. I can't tear my eyes away from my wife and she beams at me. "You're really pregnant?"

She sniffles and nods. "Yes."

"Mommy's going to have another baby!" RC screams excitedly, getting the others riled up with him.

I shoot out of my chair and pull my wife to me, hugging her tightly to me. _I can't believe this._

"How? When?" I whisper in her ear.

She lets out a light giggle and I release her enough for her to look up at me. "I wanted to come, Master." She whispers quietly.

"Oh, wow." I let out a chuckle. "Guess my alter ego made the decision for us." My cheeks actually tinge red at the thought. _I forced her into this._

She raises up on her tiptoes and presses a kiss to my lips. "It made the right decision."

I release a sigh. "Yea?"

She nods. "Yea."

"We're going to have a baby." It feels good to say it out loud. It's music to my ears.

"Looks like it."

 _Here we go again._

I'm ready.


End file.
